68KM, ironically was doing 68KM down the descent somewhere near Stromlo, where we have that little bridge?

Steep descent, right turn at the bottom of it across a bridge? No sure where - but the Marshals and the First aid guys knew exactly where whenever I said "descent" and "bridge".

Was bleeding out speed for the turn and almost made it when i felt the wheels slip. I was almost stopped I reckon when I smashed into the highway protector metal thingy and went over it.

I knew there was a descent coming up - I had seen the online maps, but I think my Odo was out I wasnt expecting it for another 5 kms. :S

Anyway, wrist is sore, probably hyper extended or something, nothing broken, just scrapes. Bike is probably no longer safe to ride - carbon body has a chunk taken out of it, fork is scraped, front wheel out of true, right shifter snapped clean off, wheel and handlebar at 90 degrees.

So pissed off at myself. Am now out 1000AUD for the bike, and didn't finish the ride and on top of that I was doing really well when it happened.. I was in the 5th wave of riders and had managed to catch up with the front firsts when I went down. That'll teach me to be competitive in a casual ride :S No one to blame but myself. To rub salt in the wound, I called a "mate" of mine after I crashed to see if I could get a ride home. I told him I was in a crash and he said he was "busy". Didn't even ask me if I was ok. Gah.

Damn!!! Glad to hear you are ok. And you mate doesn't sound like much of one!

I spent the whole long weekend deck building. Got a nice battle wound today after a straight line got caught around the drill which then ripped the nail holding it down out and launched it into my arm. Ended up about 1.5cm deep just above my elbow so a visit the the walk in clinic was required tonight to get a tetanus shot. Made for a good photo though

HAKS wrote:Damn!!! Glad to hear you are ok. And you mate doesn't sound like much of one!

I spent the whole long weekend deck building. Got a nice battle wound today after a straight line got caught around the drill which then ripped the nail holding it down out and launched it into my arm. Ended up about 1.5cm deep just above my elbow so a visit the the walk in clinic was required tonight to get a tetanus shot. Made for a good photo though

That would make for a cool scar. I've heard chicks totally dig battle scars

I was in front of you at the start (the only time I would ever get to be in front of you on a bike!), was going to say hello but you were having a conversation with your friends and I didn't want to interupt. Your new bike looks good. Looks like the bike shop forgot to put the lead down the seat tube as I suggested!

I was with the second bunch of riders (there were a couple solo of the front and then two bunches) until SFP on the first lap, the short steep bit just before SFP always gets me (especially when I've just dragged the bunch up from Cotter). I then continued solo for the rest of the ride, passing lots of slower riders from the 65km event.

Not sure of my speed or time as I forgot to start my Garmin until Parkes Way! From there it was 3hr 15mins ride time.

Actually, forgot to mention an incident that occurred to me on the ride.

The road surface was patchy wet in places throughout the course. I had previously had my rear wheel slide out on me on the Uriarra Homestead T junction. I was on the front descending with the front running pack down Mt McDonald into cotter and making sure I had room to move if I needed to, and to offer myself an out if I hit a wet patch on a turn when I cop a mouthful from some older guy on a Cougar bike from the 80's (not anything wrong with the bike, just the rider). He had an issue with me going slower than he wanted to down the descent and using the lane. At worst I was using 2/3 of the lane, and no more. And I was taking a smooth, yet wide line all the way down. No swerves, no unpredictable movement.

When I caught him at the bottom, I let him know I wasnt going to leave myself nowhere to go for him on a charity ride and that he had the responsibility to give me some room if I was on the front. He should have allowed me some room if he was coming through. He harped on about staying parallel to the roadside and that I could really "learn something" from him if I listened.

He refused to listen and carried on giving me an earful, so I bided my time until the climb out of Cotter and put 500m or so on him. Both times through the Cotter. In the end he gave me credit for the climb, but made some comment about me being a mountain bike rider and having compact cranks. Both were unfounded.

Harkened back to last years Fitz, when I believe the same guy gave another rider a hard time for using more than a 50cm ribbon of the lane to avoid gravel on a corner while he was trying to overtake them.

If you ever see this guy on a ride (tall lanky, but the Cougar 80's frame is a give away) give him a wide berth. If he is in the pack with you, try and get him on the front and leave him there. He is also a notorious wheel sucker.

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